Fate and Fatality

Harry fell into the kitchen in the Burrow with a cloud of soot. Coughing, he stood up. Ron, sitting at the table, got up immediately and moved back, avoiding the huge cloud of black dust. Harry tried to wipe off his glasses with the hem of his shirt, but it was no use. He was filthy with soot. Ron threw him a towel, and he nodded his thanks before scrubbing his face painfully hard with the towel, leaving it a mixture of smudged black with bright pink. Ron, trying not to laugh, started the usual exchange of comments.

"Harry, you've finally gotten here! How've you been? How's Sirius?"

"Fine, and Sirius is good too. How've you been?"

"Same old. Charlie and Bill are home, and the house is packed, of course. Mum and Dad are delighted that you're staying for a week, as usual. And so am I." He added hastily. "Come on, bring your bag, we'll go up to my room."

As they left the kitchen, a bang echoed through the house. Harry assumed it was Fred and George, who now owned their own wizarding joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They still used their own bedroom for a workshop when they came home for a holiday, or so Ron had said. And once they went in, they didn't come out except for meals.

"I thought about setting fire to their room, to see if they'd come out then, but Mum caught me. I swear, I almost got a broom over the head for that one. She seems to think it's dangerous, or something."

Laughing, they started up the long flights of stairs. Glancing around, Harry saw nothing much had changed since the last time he had been here. Harry had always liked Ron's house, even though Ron complained about it being too small. The walls of the stairs were covered with photos of friendly looking wizards and witches waving to them, most of them with red hair. Harry recognized only a few, but one picture that caught his eye was that of the entire Weasley family, smiling and waving, in front of the house in which Harry now stood. Harry took his eyes off of the picture only in the nick of time to jump back as Ginny's door banged open. Ginny flew down the stairs past Harry, a scrap of parchment locked in her fist. She totally ignored Harry, which was unusual, but Harry hardly had time to notice, as Ron started pulling up the last flight of stairs to his room.

As Harry entered Ron's room, he almost laughed out loud to see that Ron still hadn't changed it since he had come here the summer of his second year. It still seemed like an orange furnace, with Chudley Cannons posters hung about the walls. The fish tank that had held a bullfrog a few years ago now was filled with water and actually held fish, which were orange as well. Harry laughed when he saw them, but wisely said nothing.

Just as Harry sat down on the bed, another bang echoed through the house. Pig, who had been asleep in his cage on a shelf, awoke with a screech, amazingly loud for his extremely small size, when his cage was knocked to the floor. Ron picked the cage back up, putting on the shelf with a sigh.

"Shut it you..." he told the tiny owl, who was still screeching at the top of it's lungs. "You're not in the least bit hurt. You're as bad a Ginny, honestly."

Before Harry could ask about Ginny, Ron turned back to Harry with a question. "Did you get your letter yet? What a shock! Why in the hell would they close the school? I mean, if Dumbledore's there, nothing that bad could have happened."

"Ron..."

"They've all gone bloody daft, I tell you. And then, to put us with Slytherin! I would love to hex the idiot whose gone and done that! Can you believe..."

"RON!"

Ron stopped talking abruptly, apparently indignant for having his tirade interrupted. "Well then, what is it Harry?"

"Didn't you even read the letter? They said something happened at Hogwarts! And this time it must have been worse than in our second year when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. What has the Daily Prophet been saying, anything?"

"Nothing that I know of. Didn't you ask Sirius? He works for the ministry, he should know."

"Yeah, but he didn't know anything about it, or at least he says anyway. And look on the bright side Ron..."

"What bright side?" Ron mumbled, his face set in a frown that would scare a dementor.

"We get to go to America. I mean, Sirius went loads of times after he graduated Hogwarts, and he said he always had fun. He also said that they're, well, a bit more relaxed with the rules there. I mean, Seamus said last year that he had heard that you learn apparating and dissaparating in school!"

Ron brightened immediately. "Wild! D'you think it's true? I've always wanted to be able to do something like that..." Harry shook his head as Ron continued on. Ron never really had grown up, despite his towering height.

"I would love to shut Fred and George's smug mouths. They brag about being able to apparate every time I am "lucky" enough to see them..." Ron finished, apparently unaware Harry hadn't been listening intently.

Despite Ron's comment, Harry knew that Fred and George were still Ron's favorite brothers, especially after they had gotten him the new dress robes. Ron swore after that he was never wearing maroon again, but his Christmas sweater, hand-knitted by his mother, was indeed maroon for the sixth year in a row, and Harry would bet anything that this year would be number seven.

"So, d'you reckon Seamus knows what he's talking about for once?"

"I dunno, Seamus isn't exactly the greatest person to listen to sometimes. Don't forget last year when he gave you the wrong spell in charms and you accidentally turned Flitwick green? By the way, have you heard from Hermione yet this summer?"

Ron turned to look at Harry. "No, why?"

"No reason. I mean, she's only your girlfriend, after all..."

Harry thought back to when Hermione and Ron had started dating. It had been last year, at the Yule Ball. Ron had asked Hermione, and somehow they started going out after that. Harry hadn't really been surprised. But he couldn't get over it. After he had gotten over Cho early last year, he had quickly realized how much Hermione meant to him. But before he got up the courage to say something, Ron had. Harry had almost been on the verge of telling Hermione, but he saw how happy they were together, and didn't want to spoil it for them.

"Why'd I have to get the heart of gold?" he had mused halfheartedly. But he had known the answer all along. He had most certainly gotten it from his parents, and normally he thanked his lucky stars he wasn't some creep from Slytherin, or some blundering idiot who didn't have enough sense to see what others were feeling. And even now, even as he knew that Ron and Hermione were perfectly happy, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

"Hey Harry, want to go outside? There's not much to do in here..." Ron's voice entered his thoughts. Harry looked up to see his friend open the door. Ron looked back, obviously waiting for Harry, who bounced off the bed and joined him.

"If I'm to get through this year..." Harry thought grimly, "I'm going to have to keep my mind off of Ron and Hermione, or I'll be miserable..." Somehow, Harry knew that this year would be somewhat different from his other years in school.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The rest of the summer had flown by too quickly for Harry's liking. Perhaps it was because of the nervous tension about going to another continent, let alone country, worried him a bit, but he didn't feel quite so eager to get to school this year.

The last night before Harry left, he and Sirius had checked to make sure he had everything he would need. Of course, he had had to go to Diagon Alley to retrieve money from his vault, among a few other things that he needed but didn't have, for the list had come the week after he had gotten home from Ron's.

Dear Mr. Potter,

As you know already, this year you will be attending The Donovan Academy for Young Magical Advocates. While you may have many things you are required to have already, here is our list of supplies.

Uniform

Equipment

Students above third year... Please remember that, according to your major, it will be optional to bring one of the following, as you think you may need them:

Any books that may pertain to your major may also be brought along, but please remember that these books are not to be alive or dangerous in any way, shape, or form.

Harry had laughed at this as he remembered Hagrid's Monster Book of Monsters. At least they weren't allowed to bring those! Because the list was so similar to the one from Hogwarts, Harry had no trouble with finding all that he would need. And because their robes did not need to be black this year, he had even gotten a dark green robe for everyday wear. After six years of wearing black, he figured he could use a change.

As the letter had said that Harry was one of those who would use a portkey. They had sent it to him with Hedwig, a small button that was the same color of the envelope it was contained in. Harry knew better than to touch it until he was prepared to leave.

Finally, the day arrived when he would need to transport himself. At quarter to ten, he lugged his trunk downstairs Sirius was waiting for him in the kitchen. He was glad that Hedwig would fly there, he didn't want to have to carry her cage too.

As Harry entered the kitchen, Sirius looked up from the book he was reading, a smile on his face. He had quite enjoyed the idea of America as well as Harry when he was young, and understood the nervousness and excitement.

"Well Harry, there's not much I can say but behave yourself. And if you need anything..."

"I know, I know, I'll write to you first."

There was a moment's pause as Harry struggled to get his trunk in a position that wouldn't make it squash him upon stopping. After he had arranged himself, Harry held out his hand, which Sirius shook.

"Good-bye Harry. You're to be there at ten, best get going."

"Good-bye Sirius."

Harry carefully slid the button out of the envelope. Instantly, the howling wind surrounded him as he and his trunk were pulled over the ocean to America faster than the speed of light.